Municipal waste

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

Martin Kubal

Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague

municipal waste - terminology

Municipal solid waste, commonly known as trash or garbage (US), refuse or rubbish (UK) is a waste type consisting of everyday items we consume and discard.

Municipal waste is made up of residual waste, bulky waste, secondary materials from separate collection (e.g., paper and glass), household hazardous waste, street sweepings and litter collections. It is made up of materials such as paper, cardboard, metals, textiles, organics (food and garden waste) and wood.

municipal waste - definitions

The EU defines Municipal Solid Waste as waste from households, as well as other waste, which, because of its nature or composition, is similar to waste from households (EU Landfill Directive 99/31/EC).

Czech Republic (Act No. 185/2001 Coll.): municipal waste means all waste generated in the territory of a municipality in connection with the activities of natural persons and which is stated to be municipal waste in an implementing legal regulation, with the exception of waste produced by legal entities or natural persons authorised to conduct business.

The definition of municipal waste varies across the EU member states. Different countries include different elements. France, for example, includes sewage sludge in the definition. For all municipalities in Denmark (which does not specifically define municipal waste), all wastes are the responsibility of the municipality. Elsewhere, such as in Austria and Ireland, relatively large quantities of non-household waste are collected in the municipal fraction. The one thing common to all countries. definition of municipal waste is household waste. Concentrating on this fraction facilitates cross-country comparisons.

dustbin, garbage can, whellie can

in Czech = popelnice (ash container)

history of municipal waste production

The amounts of municipal waste produced by human population were very small through most of the history. The production was kept low till 19. century.

The composition of municipal waste was significantly changed within the last decades showing decreasing participation of ash.

Municipal waste generation and treatment in Europe (kg per capita), about 520 kg per capita since 2002

history of municipal waste production

520 kg

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/

There have been significant changes in the composition of household waste over the last 100 years which can be traced back to fundamental social and economic shifts affecting the way we live our everyday lives, as is traced in the above chronology.

Waste and Recycling: an exploration of contemporary environmental policy. Sources:Atkinson, W. and New, R. (1993) 

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/

Municipal waste treated in 2009 by country and treatment category, sorted by percentage

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/

municipal waste compositionaverage within EU

The average composition can widely vary from one country to another.

http://www.eoearth.org

(Mixed) Municipal Solid Waste

separable domestic hazardous waste residualfraction

biodegradable

recyclable

glass (green – clear)

plastics

paper

composite materials

metals – aluminium

municipal waste – residual fraction landfill

http://waterconsult.org

municipal waste – residual fraction landfill

http://depos.cz/sekce-skladka

municipal waste – residual fraction incinerator

http://www.mssch.cz/node/275

Safe disposal at the local waste and recycling

center

municipal waste domestic hazardous waste

http://web.svitavy.cz

municipal wasteseparable fraction

three separation systems

Separation at the source and transport by municipal collection vehicles to the processing facility

Drop off system

Buy back system

secondary uses for separated glass

- new glass production

- special materials (foam glass)

- sanitary ceramics

- flux agent in bricks manufacture

- water filtration media

- abrasive

difficult to consume all of the recycled glass today

secondary uses for separ. plastics

- production of fibers and fabrics

- containers

- injection moulded components

-building materials

- packing materials

- household products

difficult to consume all of the recycled plastics today

secondary uses for separ. paper

- production of new paper

- packing materials

- household products

metals recycling

Relative representation of municipal waste

all the waste types generated in Europe

agricultural waste 30 – 80%

electrical and electronic waste 0.4 %

mining waste 28 – 30 %

construction and demolition waste 25 %

hazardous waste 1 %

industrial waste 2 %

municipal waste 10 – 15 %

Important for exam

Unit amounts (per person) of municipal waste produced in EU

Typical composition of municipal waste in EU

Main treatment processes for municipal waste in EU